DAIMLER English Document

8/8/2019 DAIMLER English Document

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Milestones in Vehicle Saety. The Vision o Accident-reeDriving.


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Our motives

05 The Vision o Accident-

ree Driving

06 The challenge o accident

prevention

We invented the car and the truck and are

passionate about their uture.

Individual mobility and goods transport are at the heart o every

societys growth and prosperity. We aim to preser ve the great

need or mobility or uture generations by making mobility as

sustainable and sae as possible. This guiding principle means

preserving resources, preventing emissions and, at the same time,

maximising road saety.

As the inventor o the automobile, saety is one o our primary

concerns. When developing new technologies and when

improving both active and passive saety eatures, our pioneers

were always ahead o their time. Banishing driver stress, actively

mastering difcult situations with the vehicle and maximising

saety or all road users these are the three pillars o our

Vision o Accident-ree Driving. And here our main objective is

accident prevention.

Banishing driver stress. Accident prevention is our top priority.

We believe the driver is the key actor. The drivers job is made

easier thanks to high-perormance systems which make the driver

aware o his driving responsibilities and heighten his senses.

Actively mastering difcult situations with the vehicle. Accident

prevention is our top priority. Assistance systems detect

dangerous situations at an early stage, signal them to the driver,

and intervene to provide assistance in order to minimise

accidents and mitigate their consequences. The car becomes part

o the thinking process.

Maximising saety or all road users. For over 50 years, innovative

vehicle concepts and intelligent protection systems have been

helping to mitigate the consequences o accidents or all road users.

Daimler will continue to make uture mobility even saer by

introducing trend-setting milestones. In this brochure, we show

how Daimler AG is working intensively towards realising its

Vision o Accident-ree Driving.

Banish driver stress Actively master difcult situations with thevehicle

Maximise saety or all road users

Our tradition

09 Saety pioneer

12 Saety innovations

14 Accident research

Our innovations

17 Already on the road

18 Integral saety philosophy

20 Passive saety

26 Active saety:

radar-based systems

30 Active saety:

camera-based systems

32 An intelligent partner

34 Driver ftness

Our uture

37 Visions or tomorrow

38 Future projection

42 ESF vehicles

46 The Group at a glance

The Vision o Accident-ree Driving

Arriving saely. Five and a hal billion people

n the world take to the road every day. On

oot or on bikes. And in buses, trucks or cars.

As drivers, co-drivers or passengers. It is

our aim to make uture mobility as sae as

possible or all o these people. As a pioneern matters o saety, this aim involves doing

all we can to make our Vision o Accident-

ree Driving a reality.


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Our motives The Vision o Accident-ree Driving 05

The Vision o Accident-ree Driving. We are continuing

to play a pioneering role in matters o vehicle saety.

Mr Weber, Daimler continues to set milestones in active and passive vehicle saety with its developments. Have you already

achieved your aim? We are still a long way rom achieving our ultimate aim, but we are certainly well on the right track. Our Vision o

Accident-ree Driving will continue to drive us or ward in our quest to make mobility as sae as possible or all road users. The purpose

o research and development is to identiy critical scenarios and situations that might turn into accidents and then to deuse them using

the latest technological assistance and protection systems. Mercedes-Benz accident research identies requent causes o accidents

and thus serves as a basis or the development o new saety systems. By way o example, the Br ake Assist and Lane Keeping Assist

systems or passenger cars and commercial vehicles address key causes o accidents such as head-to-tail collisions and vehicles

leaving their lane.

How would you dene saety? We consider saety to be a global requirement. A requirement which goes way beyond simply participating

in and passing the specied crash tests. It encompasses all aspects o motoring. Everything that is important or the saety o the

occupants and other road users. This Integral Saety concept comprises our phases: sae driving, i. e. avoiding danger, providing plenty

o warning and oering assistance; taking preventive action in case o danger; providing suitable protection or the situation in hand;

and preventing a deterioration o the situation and oering ast assistance ollowing an accident.

What are the challenges now being taken up by the researchers and developers? We spend a great deal o time looking at how best

to monitor the vehicle surroundings, which helps us to address urther accident blackspots such as road junctions. Here we ace a

major challenge due to the complexity o inner-city trac. Our vehicles need to detect every turn made by every road user and then warn

the driver at an early stage i th ere is imminent danger. I necessary, the saety systems then have to inter vene autonomously. In this

case, improved monitoring o the surroundings will increase the options on the passive saety side as well as having a positive impact on

the range o active saety measures. Preventive, anticipatory systems, which maximise occupant protection immediately beore an

accident deemed unavoidable, are just one example.

What other accident blackspots are you targeting? We are also continuing to concentrate on preventing collisions and ensuring that

our vehicles stay in their lane at the right speed. On a specic level, or example, we want to provide assistance in situations where

there is restricted visibility or on motorways. To this end, intelligent assistance systems will receive inormation rom other nearby vehicles

by radio and then orward this inormation to other road us ers so that drivers can react correctly to any sudden ch anges in the road

conditions whether it be a trac tailback, road works or black ice, or example. Various sensors will thereore allow the car o the uture

to become part o the thinking process, making the drivers job even easier. Nevertheless, it will still always be the driver who is

ultimately responsible or saety.

Dr. Thomas Weber, Member o the Board o Management o Daimler AG, responsible or Group Research and Development, Merc edes-Benz Cars.


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Number and causes o accidents. The number o

vehicles on the road is rising worldwide, posing

a challenge or road saety.

07

The ESP success story. The Electronic Stability Program (ESP),

which Daimler was the rst to install in a passenger car, reduces

the risk o skidding and helps the driver to maintain better control

in demanding situations. It has brought about a sustainable

improvement in road saety in Germany. In 2004, ve years ater

Daimler started installing the system as standard in its passenger

cars, a sharp all in driver-related accidents in which drivers lost

control o their vehicles and let their lane was recorded. I all

cars were equipped with the Electronic Stability Program, more than

20,000 o these serious road accidents involving over 27,000

accident victims could be prevented every year. Analysis o data

provided by the Federal Statistical Oce (50 % random samples

rom two successive years) conducted by Mercedes-Benz ound

that Mercedes-Benz passenger car models have been involved

in serious driver-related accidents ar less requently than vehicles

rom other brands since being tted with ESP as standard.

Whereas the average percentage o newly registered Daimler models

involved in such accidents in 1998/1999 was 20.7 percent, ESP

helped to reduce this gure to 12 percent (a all o more than 42

percent) in 2002/2003. When it comes to passenger cars built

by other manuacturers, however, the percentage o driver-related

accidents in relation to all accidents ell by only around 13

percent. The proximity control and Brake Assist systems based on

sophisticated radar technology or passenger cars, buses, vans and

trucks are likewise highly eective at helping to prevent accidents.

An analysis o accident data conducted by Mercedes-Benz looked

at the eect o the proximity control system (DISTRONIC PLUS)

and Brake Assist PLUS or passenger cars. This accident data was

based on the ocial accident statistics and data rom a total o

around 16,000 trac accidents, which had previously been analysed

as part o the GIDAS project (German In- Depth Accident Study).

The result: i all passenger cars were equipped with this system,

an average o 20 percent o all head-to-tail collisions could be

prevented in Germany alone. In another 25 percent o these

collisions, the systems could help to greatly reduce accident severity.

This combination o state-o-the-art radar and brake technology

oers the greatest saety potential on motorways, where around

36 percent o all head-to-tail crashes could be prevented. In the

case o trucks, as many as h al o the serious motorway accidents

that occur could be avoided i all trucks were equipped with

Lane Keeping Assist, proximity control and Telligent stability control.

Our motives The challenge o accident prevention

The number o cars on the road around the globe is growing

and growing ve times aster than the worlds population.

Since the 1950s, the number o vehicles has increased more

than tenold. By 2030, the number o passenger cars on the

road is set to double. And around two billion passenger cars

will be registered by the year 2050. Much o this growth is in

China, India and other emerging and developing countries, which

is hardly surprising as individual mobility has always played a key

role when societies modernise. As well as promoting growth and

prosperity, cars also represent a gain in personal reedom or

many people. But more vehicles on the road means more trac

accidents. Worldwide, two people are killed and more than 95 are

seriously injured every minute in road accidents.

Road accident victims. In 2008, however, there were once again

ar ewer atal road accidents in Germany than in the previous

year: according to the gures released by the Federal Statistical

Oce, the number o road deaths ell to around 4500 a decrease

o almost ten percent compared to 2007. This gure is also the

lowest since statistical records began in 1953. Saety initiatives

launched in the 1970s, which led to the introduction o the

three-point inertia-reel seat belt and the compulsory wearing o

seat belts, or example, have proven to be e ective. In 1970,

the number o road deaths in Germany still stood at more than

20,000. Likewise in Japan and Europe (EU-25 not including

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovenia and Cyprus), the number

o road deaths has been alling or years and has now reached a

historic low. These gures highlight the major impact the introduction

o sophisticated assistance and saety systems has already had

on the realisation o our Vision o Accident-ree Driving. Saety

pioneer Daimler was the rst company to introduce many eective

systems into standard production vehicles inventions that were

later copied by other manuacturers. So Daimler has played a key

role in this success story.

Further reducing the number o accidents worldwide is a

challenge or all automotive manuacturers. To this end,

critical driving situations have to be deused urther. Most

accidents occur at crossroads and T-junctions due to excessive

speed, head-to-tail collisions and vehicles leaving their lane. Another

main cause is the single-vehicle accident, in which the driver

loses control o his vehicle. Daimler saety systems assist the driver

in precisely these situations. And they have demonstrably brought

about a reduction in the number o road accidents.

The challenge o accident prevention.

Caution: accident risk! Precarious situations are becoming more and more prevalent on increasingly busy roads. In such situations, assistance systems

can help to prevent accidents and mitigate the consequences o accidents. The on-going urther development o these systems is the key to road saety.

The most requent types o accident* in Germany at a glance

*Accidents involving injuries according to 2007 German accident statistics, source: Federal Statistical Oce

Road deaths in Germany

2000 45,711,162 (1) (2)7,503

20084,467 49,330,037 (1)

1953 4,192,95812,631

1960 8,003,65416,477

1970 16,783,22721,332

Number o vehicles on the road in Germany

(1) Not including vehicles taken o the road temporarily (explanation: all pre-2000 gures include vehicles taken o the road temporarily, i. e. seasonal vehicl es, or example).

(2) Figures rom this year onwards are or the whole o Germany. Figures beore this year are or West Germany only.

Source: Federal Statistical Oce

Other type o accident 11.8 %

Collisions with an obstacle 0.7 %

Vehicle leaving its lane 14.8 %

Lane changes 4.4 %

Head-to-tail crash 22.3 %

Oncoming trac 8.0 %

Junctions 28.6 %

Pedestrians 9.4 %

1990 35,748,27811,046

1980 27,116,15115,050


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Saety pioneer. As the inventor o the car and the

truck, Daimler has been leading the way in vehicle

saety or many decades.

Our tradition Saety pioneer 09

Daimler understands saety as a responsibility to all road users. Not only building vehicles, but working continuously to urther develop

and improve saety systems this has always been and will remain one o the companys key objectives.

Daimler has been perorming crash tests systematically since the 1950s and, during this time, has recorded a number o pioneering

achievements in the eld o automotive saety. Back then, steam rockets or cables were still used to propel the test cars. And the

absence o dummies meant that some o the engineers even had to take part in the tests. The technology is more sophisticated these

days, but the aim remains the same: enhancing vehicle saety.

Crash tests are still the cornerstone o all Daimler saety developments, while the Vision o Accident-ree Driving is the driv ing orce

behind innovative developments that make motoring saer.


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A long tradition o saety. Daimler leads the way

when it comes to vehicle saety whether it

be the rst saety engineer or the rst crash test.

11Our tradition Saety pioneer

The rst crash tests. In 1959, the Mer cedes-Benz plant in

Sindelngen once again provided a stage or a premiere when,

on the 10th o September, the engineers started conducting

systematic crash tests here. These tests have been perormed

continuously ever since. Whole-vehicle crash tests were

pioneering eats back then. In the early years, the developers

used cables and steam rockets to accelerate the test cars.

For the rollover test, the technicians designed a corkscrew ramp.

And store window mannequins were used beore, nally,

in 1968, the rst test dummies took their seats in the test cars.

Crash tests still orm the basis o saety development at Daimler

to this day. A vast array o cr ash tests involving passenger cars

is conducted every year at the Mercedes-Benz Technology Centre

in Sindelngen. The programme includes crash tests which are

specied or the worldwide approval o new cars or are perormed

in order to achieve the prescribed ratings. But, or Daimler,

saety is about more than just legal requirements and ratings.

The history o occupant saety began at the Mercedes-Benz

plant in Sindelngen in 1939. Bla Barnyi, a young engineer

who set himsel the aim o revolutionising automotive

technology, worked here. At Daimler he got the chance to

realise this ambition. The platorm rame or motor vehicles

was his rst invention or his new employer. It improved directional

stability and road adhesion whilst also improving side impact

protection. The new design was patented in February 1941. But

Barnyi wanted to go urther still: his vision was a robust

passenger cell surrounded by crumple zones ront and rear. He

nally achieved his aim in 1952, ollowing several project studies,

when his vision was patented. And it remains a undamental

principle on which the entire eld o passive saety technology is

based to this day. The crumple zone rst went into series

production in 1959. Bla Barnyi was the rst ever saety engineer

at Daimler indeed possibly the rst anywhere. Dozens o

engineers have ollowed in his ootsteps, all o them recognising,

as Barnyi did, the need to improve road saety.

Fundamental denition. Barnyi kept working at Daimler until

the 1970s. As an example, he ormulated the principle o splitting

saety into two distinct areas active saety and passive saety

together with Chie Development Ocer Hans Scherenberg in

1966. According to this principle, active saety describes systems

and technologies designed to prevent accidents, while passive

saety technologies aim to mitigate the consequences o accidents

or the occupants. Today electronic assistance systems play a

crucial role in improving accident saety. But the distinction between

active and passive saety has become increasingly blurred,

leading Daimler to ormulate its new integral saety philosophy.

The company puts its passenger cars, sold all over the world, through

even tougher tests: nine additional, extremely demanding in-house

crash tests which are based on real-lie accidents. Today these cars

have to pass around 40 dierent crash tests beore they can be

awarded the amous Mercedes star.

When it comes to saety developments or commercial vehicles, too,

the company has been perorming pioneering work or many

years. In 1992, Daimler conducted the rst crash test or a truck

during development o the new Actros series. The Actros was the

rst truck series whose design and series production development

were shaped by the results o crash tests. Since then, all trucks

produced by Daimler take part in several crash tests, even though

such tests are still not a legal requirement.

Constructive: Bla Barnyi in conversation with his colleagues ollowing a successul crash test at the Daimler proving ground in Sindelngen (let).

Mercedes-Benz was awarded the patent or the crumple zone principle on 28. 8. 1952 (right).

Saety pioneer.

The deormation principle: rigid passenger cell (saety cell), but energy-absorbing, deormable crumple zones in the ront and rear sections (let).

Crash test with a truck: Daimler has also lead the way in this eld or many decades (right).


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Milestones in saety. Daimler has invented innovative

saety technologies development continues.

13Our tradition Saety innovations

Daimler has been working on improving automotive saety

or many decades. To date, the company has brought to

market an array o technologies and systems which are proven

to enhance saety in all Daimler models, wheth er they be

passenger cars or commercial vehicles. As time has gone by,

many o these systems have also been copied by other

manuacturers, resulting in the prevention o numerous

accidents or a reduction in their severity. So the Daimler saety

solutions are or the good o all road users. But Daimler is ar

rom nished in this area. The research and development o new

technologies has always been o key importance to the company.

And, despite all o the successes achieved thus ar, the company

will continue in its quest to realise its Vision o Accident-ree

Driving. In 2008, or instance, the company invested more than

our billion euros in research and development, including

innovative saety systems.

Trailblazing inventions. One innovation still important today is the

worlds rst saety body, including integrated crumple zones,

which was conceived by Bla Barnyi and went into series production

or the rst time in 1959. The anti-lock braking system (ABS) or

passenger cars, which Daimler was the rst automotive manuacturer

to bring to market in 1978, prevents the wheels rom locking up

under braking, meaning that the vehicle can still be steered, even

during an emergency stop. In 1981, Daimler was the rst to install

a driver airbag and belt tensioner in a standard production passenger

car. A urther milestone ollowed in 1995 with the launch o the

Electronic Stability Program (ESP). Since 1999, all Mercedes-Benz

passenger cars have been equipped with ESP as standard.

According to a representative sampling o accident statistics, Daimler

passenger cars have since been involved in serious driver-related

accidents ar less requently than cars rom other brands.

Daimler was the worlds rst manuacturer to introduce Brake Assist

as standard or passenger cars in 1996, ollowed in 2000 by the

rst Lane Keeping Assist system or trucks and one year later by

Telligent stability control ESP or trucks. With PRE-SAFE, a

system which activates protective measures as a precaution, Daimler

made vast strides orward in the eld o anticipatory occupant

protection or passenger cars in 2002. The company has oered the

PRE-SAFE Brake, which can brake the vehicle autonomously

when danger is detected, since 2006. The rst Brake Assist system

or trucks (Active Brake Assist) was launched in the same year.

This system can brake the vehicle to a standstill autonomously in

a critical situation. One o the latest developments in this eld

is ATTENTION ASSIST or passenger cars. I this system detects

signs o driver drowsiness, it emits visual and audible warnings.

Saety innovations.

Mercedes-Benz Other brands ESP as standard in all Mercedes passenger cars

German accident statistics show that tting ESP as standard in Mercedes passenger cars has brought about a drastic reduction

in the percentage o dangerous, driver-related accidents.

Year o new registration and accident

Source: evaluation o anonymous 50-percent sample rom the accident statistics provided by the Federal Statistical Oce or the accident years indicated,

conducted by Mercedes-Benz

Eectiveness o ESP

Percentage o driver-related accidents (main causes)

Key Daimler saety innovations at a glance

1931

First standard production passenger car with

hydraulic braking system and independent

ront and rear wheel suspension

1959

Worlds rst saety body with robust passenger

cell and integrated crumple zones or

passenger cars

1964

First bus or coach with wear-ree brake (retarder)

1978

World premiere o anti-lock braking system (ABS)

or passenger cars; Daimler launched the rst

ABS or commercial vehicl es in 1981

1981

Airbag and belt tensioner available or a

standard production passenger car or the

rst time

1987

First acceleration skid control (ASR) system or

commercial vehicles

1995

First Electronic Stability Program (ESP ); all

Mercedes passenger cars have been

equipped with ESP as standard since 1999

1996

Brake Assist introduced as standard a world-rst

or passenger cars

1998

First TRIDION saety cell in smart car

2000

First Lane Keeping Assist system or trucks

2001

Telligent stability control or trucks and buses

2002

First anticipatory occupant protection system or

passenger cars: PRE-SAFE

2006

PRE-SAFE Brake or passenger cars: autonomous

partial braking; Active Brake Assist or

Mercedes-Benz trucks

2009

Drowsiness detection (ATTENTION ASSIST) or

passenger cars; PRE-SAFE Brake: with

the option o autonomous emergency braking;

Night View Assist with pedestrian detection

unction or passenger cars

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

22

18

14

10

1998 1999


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The road shows the way. Real-lie accidents best

highlight the eectiveness o saety systems

and areas in which urther development is required.

15

The Daimler saety concept the Real Lie Saety philosophy

is based on real-lie accidents. The company has been

analysing accidents on German roads since 1969, with the

ndings being used to provide key impetus or the development

o new saety systems. Every vehicle series produced by

Daimler whether it be passenger cars, trucks, buses, coaches

or vans has its own designated accident-research team. The

analysis o real-lie accidents involving Daimler vehicles began in

1966. Then, in 1969, this project led to the start o ocial accident

research or passenger cars in Stuttgart and the surrounding area,

conducted by the newly ormed accident analysis department.

Commercial vehicles ollowed around a year later. Today, the accident

researchers on the passenger-car side analyse around 100 accidents

per year, while their counterparts in the commercial-vehicle section

look at around 30 serious crashes every year. Both departments

have their own extensive databases containing details o serious

accidents and their causes.

The accident researchers look at the deormation pattern on the

vehicle at the accident scene or ater the vehicle has been

recovered as well as analysing the accident scene itsel and any

injuries suered by the occupants. Using photos, diagrams

and the accident report, the researchers can produce a computer

simulation that allows them to analyse the accident details

rom various perspectives and to draw conclusions as to the course

o events that lead to the accident.

Daimler vehicles becoming saer and saer. In this way, the

accident researchers gather inormation to help develop new,

even more eective protection systems. On several occasions

already, accident research has provided the oundations or

the development o innovative saety systems. And the results o

the accident analyses are proo that the c oncept is having a

positive impact: the risk o being injured in a Daimler vehicle has

been alling continuously or a period o years.

Both Lane Keeping Assist and Active Brake Assist or trucks and

touring coaches are the result o inormation gathered during

the course o accident research. The researchers established that

the vehicle leaving its lane beore a head-to -tail collision was

the most requent cause o accidents in the case o trucks. The

developers got to work, and Daimler was the rst automotive manu-

acturer to launch Brake Assist and a system capable o warning

the driver i the vehicle leaves its detected lane unintentionally.

In the case o passenger cars, too, the accident researchers oten

provided the decisive input when it came to ur ther improving

occupant protection, one notable example being the design o the

interior in the 1960s. Belt tensioners and belt orce limiters

ollowed in the 1970s and 1980s. In the 1990s, accident research

provided the key impetus or urther progress: the experts had

determined that over two-thirds o all tra c accidents were

preceded by a typical, critical driving situation such as skidding,

emergency braking or sudden evasive action situations that

already indicate an imminent collision. In the past, these precious

ew seconds beore the crash had not been utilised or the benet

o saety. The answer to these ndings rom accident research is

called PRE-SAFE, a Daimler system which heralded a new era

o vehicle saety when it was rst launched in late 2002.

PRE-SAFE is based on the principle o prevention: i this technology

detects an impending accident, it goes into action immediately,

activating reversible measures to prepare the occupants and the car

or a possible collision, or example by initiating precautionary

tensioning o the seat belts, closing the side windows or raising the

rear head restraints pneumatically depending on the vehicle

type, vehicle equipment and driving situation. It thus makes the best

possible use o the brie period beore a collision to initiate

preventive saety measures. NECK-PRO head restraints, which were

introduced as standard or the rst time in 2005, are another

advanced saety development based on analysis o real-lie

accidents. NECK-PRO is eective in helping to reduce the risk o

whiplash injuries in the event o a rear impact.

The accident researchers are continuing their work to enable

the detection o dangerous driving situations and to

provide the developers with key inormation or deusing such

situations all in the name o the Vision o Accident-ree

Driving.

Our tradition Accident research

Daimler accident researchers at work: the Accident Research unit at Mercedes-Benz has been analysing and reconstructing trac accidents since

1969, the aim being to nd out more in order to urther improve saety. They put the developments t hrough their paces again in crash test s.

Approx. 200 - 0 m Approx. 2.6 s beore the accident Approx. 1.6 s beore the accident Approx. 0.6 s beore the accident

DISTRONIC PLUS

Automatic proximity control with visual

and audible warnings i the gap

measured by sensors narrows too

quickly. Automatic braking to a

standstill.

PRE-SAFE Brake and BAS PLUS

Visual and audible collision warning

rom the PRE-SAFE Brake as well

as braking assistance in line with the

situation in hand rom BAS PLUS

as soon as the driver hits the brakes.

PRE-SAFE unctions activated

in the interior as and when required.

PRE-SAFE Brake

Autonomous partial braking ater three

audible warnings i the driver

ails to react. Activation o PRE-SAFE

unctions in the interior.

PRE-SAFE Brake

Autonomous emergency braking

with maximum braking power

i the driver has still ailed to react.

What happens beore a detected potential head-to-tail collision

Accident research.


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Already on the road. Equipped with intelligent

assistance systems, Daimler vehicles oer an

exceptional level o saety.

17

Daimlers integral saety concept covers all aspects o the vehicle and its occupants. When developing saety systems, the company can count

on a wealth o data gathered during 40 years o accident research. These include active saety systems to prevent danger as well as systems

designed to mitigate the consequences o accidents. It is now hard to imagine vehicles without many o these Daimler-developed systems.

But Daimler goes a step ur ther still: road saety requires a holistic approach. The companys commitment thereore ranges rom educating

very young road users in road saety at an early stage, as part o the MobileKids initiative, to comprehensive inormation or rescue services

to enable even aster rescue, and comprehensive protection or other r oad users because, on the road, nobody is alone.

Our innovations Already on the road


10/25

19Our innovations Integral saety philosophy

Driving saely with the Saety Van (let) and allowing ast rescue ater an accident: r e brigades rarely have the opportunity to practice recovery

procedures, especially in the case o trucks. This is why Daimler oers them the chance to train at specially-staged events (right).

A holistic approach. The aim o Daimlers integral

saety philosophy is to protect and assist road

users in all situations.

Integral saety philosophy.

MobileKids international road saety initiative using games to make children t or the road

As one o the worlds largest automotive manuacturers, Daimler i s aware o its responsibilit y or ensuring road saety across the board.

In Daimlers eyes, saety is not just linked to technology and the vehicles. This is why Daimler is always quick to become involved in

road saety initiatives. One o these is MobileKids. The company launched this international initiative in 2001. MobileKids is designed

to make boys and girls aged between eight and twelve aware o road trac dangers in a playul and entertaining way. MobileKids

deals with internationally applicable road saety topics and conveys them through a series o inormation, motivation and training

exercises, the aim being to heighten the childrens understanding o saety. Daimler has joined orces with international experts to

develop an entertaining and advertisement-ree concept or this initiative. The topics range rom how to cross the road correctly and

consideration or more vulnerable road users to signalling and the understanding o trac signs. By using edutainment ormats on

TV and the internet, MobileKids reaches and motivates children all over the world www.mobilekids.net.

Drive saely:

Avoid danger, provide plenty o

warning and assist

In case o danger:

Take preventive action with

PRE-SAFE

In case o accident:

Provide suitable protection or the

situation in hand

Ater an accident:

Prevent a deterioration o the

situation and oer ast assistance

Passive saetyActive saety

In case o accident: mitigating the consequences o accidents. I

an accident is unavoidable, the impact should at least be made

as sot as possible or all those involved. To achieve this, Daimler

conducts a whole series o dierent crash tests which go way

beyond the legal requirements. In addition, the company can count

on the data gathered during 40 years o accident research when

developing its saety systems. Thanks to airbags, inertia-r eel seat

belts, belt tensioners and belt-orce limiters, Daimler passenger

cars can provide a high level o saety. When used in commercial

vehicles, the same technologies and accident tests help to urther

enhance driver saety. Here developments such as underride guards

also help to protect other road users.

Ater an accident: allow ast rescue, prevent secondary accidents

and carry out repairs using genuine parts. In this phase, the

priorities are to prevent urther damage and to rescue the occupants

quickly, ollowing an accident. Depending on the type and severity

o the accident, the supply o uel to the engine can be shut o and

the hazard warning lights can be switched on to warn the trac

behind and prevent secondary accidents. I the ront airbags h ave

been deployed, the ront side windows can be opened slightly to

ventilate the interior. The doors can be unlocked automatically to

enable aster rescue o injured occupants. I the occupants are

unable to ree themselves, Daimler assists the rescuers by providing

emergency rescue guidelines. These guidelines or passenger cars

and commercial vehicles are available to re brigades and rescue

services. What makes these guidelines particularly useul is that

they allow rescuers to rescue the occupants o all truck models,

regardless o which company built the truck. They can be down-

loaded rom the internet whenever needed and show how to rescue

the occupants quickly and saely. The rescue guidelines include

detailed descriptions o how to stabilise vehicles involved in an

accident or how to tilt the truck s cab orwards, or example. I

the vehicle survives the accident, no compromises should be made

when repairing it. An authorised dealer or workshop is the rst

port o call or repairs as this is the only way to ensure that the

same high level o saety is re-attained. This is the best way to

ensure that the airbag deploys correctly i the vehicle suers another

accident and that ESP and ABS work perectly once again.

Daimler takes a holistic approach to saety. It is about all

aspects o driving. About everything that is important or

the saety o the occupants and other road users. Daimlers

integral saety concept is thereore based on our distinct

phases.

Drive saely: avoid danger, provide plenty o warning and assist.

Active saety technologies help to prevent accidents. Systems

such as ESP and Brake Assist have been playing a major part in

enhancing road saety or a number o years. Continuous urther

development and new active saety systems, specially developed

to prevent dangerous situations, are making motoring increasingly

saer: Lane Keeping Assist systems or passenger cars and trucks

help to prevent one o the most requent causes o accidents,

namely the vehicle leaving its lane. The ATTENTION ASSIST

drowsiness detection system or passenger cars can provide

warnings i the driver shows s igns o becoming drowsy. Proximity

control systems or passenger cars and commercial vehicles

help the driver to remain the desired distance behind the vehicle

in ront. Special light systems maximise visibility at any time

o day and in any weather. I the vehicle perorms an emergency

stop, the adaptive brake lights or passenger cars and vans

start fashing quickly to warn the trac behind.

In case o danger: PRE-SAFE anticipatory occupant protection or

passenger cars. By using the sensors o saety systems such as

ESP and Brake Assist, PRE-SAFE is able to detect an imminent

accident and prepares the occupants or the impact. PRE- SAFE

is a key anticipatory occupant protection concept and represents

a synergy o active and passive s aety.


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21Our innovations Passive saety

The results are impressive to say the least: in the current

Mercedes-Benz E-Class launched in 2009, the crumple

zone protects the occupants even more eectively than beore,

in the event o a rontal impact. The ront deormation

zone acts on our independent levels, meaning that the orces

can be distributed over a wide area and made to bypass the

passenger cell in the event o an impact. Likewise, the increased

use o ultra-high-strength steel alloys helps the bodyshell to

withstand high impact loads. Around 72 percent o all the bodyshell

panels are made rom these sophisticated high-tech steel grades.

Adaptive airbags, belt tensioners, belt orce limiters and NECK-PRO

crash-responsive head restraints do the rest in order to protect

the car occupants i the worst comes to the worst. Furthermore, the

unique PRE-SAFE anticipatory occupant protection system is

tted as standard. I the system detects a critical situation that could

lead to an accident, it instinctively activates preventive occupant

protection measures, allowing the seat belts and airbags to deploy

with maximum eect should an impact occur. Similarly, the

sunroo and side windows are closed i high transverse dynamics

are detected. These measures prevent occupants rom being

thrown out o the vehicle and objects rom entering the vehicle.

Over 55 years ago, the Ponton (three-box-body) Mercedes

Realistic crash tests. Bla Barnyis successors have continued to urther

develop the concepts devised by their mentor based on the latest

development and calculation methods and the use o state-o-the-art bodyshell

materials. During the course o its many years o development to date, the

current Mercedes-Benz E-Class, or example, has come through more than

5000 realistic crash-test simulations and over 150 real-lie crash tests . As

well as passing around 40 dierent crash tests in order to achieve the prescribed

ratings and gain worldwide approval, this model had to take part in nine

exceptionally demanding in-house crash tests, some o which go way beyond

the statutory requirements.

Evolution o the restraint systems. Seat belts and airbags are restraint

systems that have established themselves on a worldwide scale. These

systems have changed a great deal over the years. Todays sophisticated and

eective restraint systems oer the occupants even greater protection in

line with the situation in hand. To make this possible, the S-Class and CL-Class

eature a computer that uses various sensors to determine the likely

accident severity as well as ascertain th e ront passengers individual data. I

the sensory system detects a small ront passenger, it initially only triggers

the rst airbag stage, depending on the predicted impact severity, meaning

that less air is injected into the airbag. I th e system senses a larger r ont

passenger, however, both airbag stages are triggered. The engineers have

also urther improved the crash sensors. By way o example, the

Mercedes-Benz S-Class and CL-Class are tted with a total o eleven sensors

which provide data regarding the type and severit y o an impact at an early

stage and are able to dierentiate between a rontal impact, side impact, r ear

impact and rollover. Like the urther developed restraint systems seat

belts, airbags and head restraints ex tensive innovations covering practically

every aspect o the body structure and the passenger cell provide invaluable

assistance in critical situations.

Ultra-high-strength materials. Key aspects o the saety concept include

intelligent design and meticulous material selection. More so than ever

beore, high-strength and ultra-high-strength steel alloys are used because

they oer maximum strength wh ilst minimising weight. Around 72 percent

o all the bodyshell panels or the current Mercedes-Benz E- Class, or example,

are made rom these grades o steel a new record in passenger car

development. They are used at points where the material can be subjected to

very high stresses during an accident as a material or the B-pillars and

roo rame or example, or at the rear to produce a robust crossmember. I these

sophisticated alloys were not used, ar more material would be r equired in

order to meet the stringent saety r equirements.

Protected area. It all started with the invention o

the crumple zone by Bla Barnyi. Today, the

modied orm o his patented idea still orms the

basis or sae vehicle interiors.

Passive saety.

(model series W 120) was the worlds rst car to eature a crash-

stable foor assembly a rst step towards enhancing saety

in the event o a r ontal or side impact. The legendary Tail Fin

model (model series W 111) dating back to 1959 was the rst

standard production car on the road equipped with integrated

crumple zones and a high-strength passenger cell. Trailblazing

eatures here included interior appointments designed so as

to reduce injury hazards in accidents: hard and sharp-edged

controls had disappeared, replaced in the W 111 by recessed

door handles, a dashboard that yielded on impact, cushioned

window mouldings, window winders and armrests, as well as

a steering wheel with a large impact plate.

Saety Trucks rom Mitsubishi Fuso (let) and Freightliner (right): these Daimler brands likewise prioritise vehicle saety.

Seat belts and airbags are the cornerstones o the passive saety system. These systems have changed a great deal over the

years. Todays sophisticated and eective restraint systems oer th e occupants protection in line with the situation in hand.


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23

Saety at the rear. Multi-piece side members and a robust, fexible

crossmember made rom ultra-high-strength steel orm the key

components o the rear-end structure or the new Mercedes-Benz

E-Class. The rear side members are continuous, closed box sections

with careully graduated material thicknesses. These are able to

absorb high orces and, thereore, make a decisive contribution

to occupant saety in the event o a rear impact. The current

Mercedes-Benz E-Class, or example, also meets the worlds most

stringent crash regulations where rear impacts ar e concerned.

Our innovations Passive saety

Robust backbone. Today the passenger cell is a strengthened

structure which can oer the passengers a highly robust sur vival

space, even in severe impacts, regardless o whether the collision

is head-on, rom the rear or rom the side, and even i the vehicle

rolls over. The use o high -strength steel grades and thicker panels

plays as important a role here as the installation o additional

load-bearing members. New eatures which are crucial with respect

to both occupant saety and body stiness include the ull-length

foor side members, which have been urther reinorced with

additional sections on their insides and thus stabilise the whole

foor structure. The engineers have also incorporated sturdy

aluminium transverse sections known as transmission tunnel

braces into the foor assembly. They brace the foor assembly

and channel the impact orces into the foor structu re at an early

stage ollowing a side-on collision.

Action areas or saety systems are derived principally rom the intensive

accident research carr ied out since 1969. The development o NECK-PRO

head restraints or passenger cars, or example, is likewise based on analyses

o real-lie accidents. NECK-PRO reduces the risk o whiplash injuries in the

event o a rear impact. These injuries, c aused by the sudden jolting movement

o the head and the resulting strain on the cervical vertebrae, are one o the

most common types o accident injury in Europe.

NECK-PRO is a sensor-controlled, crash-responsive head restraint which is

activated when a rear impact is detected. I the sensors detect a collision o

a certain, predened severity, they activate preloaded springs inside the head

restraint. These springs then help to push the padded areas o the head

restraints orwards and upwards to support the heads o the ront passengers

at an early stage and help to prevent overbending o the cer vical vertebrae.

Daimler believes its responsibilities go beyond occupant protection, where the airbag, or example, is a milestone in passive saety development

(diagram o principle on let). Protection o other road users is another important aspect o the comprehensive saety concept. To protect the most

vulnerable road users pedestrians and cyclists saety engineers are constantly developing new, trend-setting technologies (right).

Protection or the most vulnerable

Protection o other road users is a high priori ty or the saety engi neers. They have been developing technology that provides greater protection to those who

need it most in an accident pedestrians and cyclists or many years. Many o t hese initiatives and measures serve as models and have been copied by

other car manuacturers. Smooth-suraced bodies, energy-absorbing bumpers, laminated-glass windscreens, olding exterior mirrors, rounded door handles and

recessed windscreen wipers, as well as underride guards or trucks, are just some o the eatures t hat have long oered other road users a high degree o

protection. Active saety innovations such as Brake Assist or passenger cars, trucks and buses also play a vital role as they are designe d to prevent accidents

involving pedestrians or to reduce the impact severity. The use o Brake Assist, or example, has reduced the rate o serious accidents involving collisions

between pedestrians and vehicles t ted with this equipment by 13 percent. But here, too, development continues.

Passive saety.


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25

New era in passenger-car saety. Following almost seven

decades o intensive and successul saety development

resulting in the introduction o the crumple zone, airbag, belt

tensioner, sidebag, belt orce limiter, windowbag and other

technical milestones the potential o active saety seemed

to have been largely exhausted. New concepts were needed to

urther enhance the level o occupant saety. This is why, in

2002, Daimler continued its eorts by ushering in a new era

in vehicle saety with PRE-SAFE, the anticipatory occupant

protection system or passenger cars. I the system detects

potentially critical driving situations, it prepares the occupants

and the vehicle or a possible accident. Just as animals react

instinctively and search or cover when they are in danger,

PRE-SAFE activates protective measures or the car occupants

as a precaution. PRE-SAFE is able to recognise an impending

accident because it oers an intelligent synergy o active and

passive saety eatures. It is networked to Brake Assist and the

Electronic Stability Program (ESP), or example, whose sensors

recognise potentially dangerous driving situations and then

transmit this inormation to the electronic control units within

milliseconds. Analyses perormed during crash tests show just how

important and eective anticipatory occupant protection can be. In

the case o belt tensioning, or example, the measures taken mean

that the driver and ront passenger are held in their seats in the

best possible position, thus reducing the load exerted on the head

and neck area. These tests showed th at the head was subjected

to around 30 percent less stress, while the engineers recorded a

reduction o around 40 percent in the neck area.

Future potential. Following the introduction o several successul

passive saety systems, the saety engineers see additional potential

in the virtual protective zone, particularly in the phase leading up to

an accident. This is because the longer the time between detection

o a possible accident, or a situation which could lead to an

accident, and the accident itsel, the more saety systems are able

to improve occupant saety. As an example, possible options

include non-reversible restraint systems which deploy beore the

accident but only when the accident is no longer avoidable.

Our innovations Passive saety

Another strategic objective is the urther individualisation o the protection

systems. For instance, the ront belt orce limiters are already available as

adaptive belt orce limiters. They adapt themselves in line with the current

requirements and can thus reduce the load exerted on the occupants

eectively. Further orms o individualisation include integrated child seats

and automatic child seat recognition. For the smallest passengers babies

in rear-acing child seats the r ont-passenger airbag in particular can be

a danger. Automatic child seat recognition adapts the way in which the

restraint systems are deployed accordingly. The ront-passenger airbag is

deactivated whilst the side protection systems and belt tensioners remain

active, o course. Future systems will urther enhance protection considerably

or lighter and heavier passengers.

Another important aspect involves persuading drivers and passengers to

accept and use protection systems rather than viewing them as a hindrance.

This is why comort and convenience aspects also always play an important

role. Daimler likewise attaches great importance to harmonising the trend

towards ecoriendly lightweight designs with saety aspects.

Unique saety system or buses and coaches

Front Collision Guard (FCG) is a unique passive saety system designed to protect the driver and tour guide aboard the bus or coach in the event o a rontal impact.

FCG is tted as standard in the latest generation o Mercedes-Benz Travego and Setra TopClass 400 touring coaches. Front Collision Guard consists o a

complex saety system. Its components include a transverse prole or the protection o other road users, which can prevent a car, or example, rom driving

underneath the bus. The rame behind this prole consists o crash elements which absorb energy in a predetermined manner in the event o an impact. In

addition, the drivers area including the steering, pedals and seat is mounted on a solid rame section that can slide rearwards in its entirety i there is a

severe rontal impact and, thereore, is more eective at preserving the protective space or the driver. As well as testing the eect o the Front Collision Guard

system using computer simulations, the developers have also put it through its paces in several crash tests under real-lie conditions. FCG complies with uture

statutory standards or bus and coach pendulum impact tests. Together with Acti ve Brake Assist, which can reduce the colli sion speed dramatically in the event

o an unavoidable rontal collision, F CG provides the driver and tour guide with an unparalleled high standard o saet y.

Deliberate crashes: the engineers had the buses driven against a wall during development o Front Collision Guard. The system absorbs impact

energy, and the load exerted on the occupants is lower than the specied level.

Passive saety.


14/25


15/25

29

Our commercial vehicles also take into account the high risk

o head-to-tail collisions: Active Brake Assist or trucks and

touring coaches can prevent a large percentage o these

accidents. It initiates emergency braking i the system detects

that a collision with a vehicle in ront appears to be unavoid-

able. Active Brake Assist is based on the same radar system as

Telligent proximity control. In contrast to proximity control systems,

which help the driver to maintain a pre-programmed saety distance

to the vehicle in ront, Active Brake Assist initiates emergency

braking i there is an acute risk o a head-to-tail collision with a

vehicle in ront. It uses the proximity control systems three radar

beams, which detect moving obstacles in ront o the vehicle, and

continuously calculates the dierence in speed between the two

vehicles. I the trac situation does not change and the system

determines that an accident is unavoidable, the driver rst receives

a visual warning and then an audible warning. This is ollowed by

slight braking, which the passengers in the bus also eel, giving

them the opportunity to brace themselves. I the driver does not

react, the system then applies the ull braking power.

Although Active Brake Assist cannot always prevent accidents, the

application o the brakes with ull power signicantly reduces

the collision speed and, thereore, the severity o the accident.

Optimum visibility in all directions. A urther Daimler assistance

system is designed to address another problem area highlighted by

accident statistics: lane changes. Every year, around 9500 serious

road accidents in Germany are caused by motorists who ail to

take heed o the trac behind when ch anging lanes or cut across

in ront o another vehicle too soon ater overtaking. Blind Spot

Assist can help drivers to change lanes saely: it uses short-range

radar sensors housed on both sides o the rear bumper to monitor

the areas directly to the side o and behind the car. I the system

detects another vehicle driving in the adjacent lane in the blind spot,

it warns the driver by illuminating a red warning signal in the glass

o the exterior mirror. I the driver ails to see this warning and

indicates to change lanes, the red warning signal starts fashing

and an additional warning tone sounds.

Our innovations Active saety: radar-based systems

World premiere or buses and coaches the new Mercedes-Benz Travego with Active Brake Assist: Active Brake Assist applies the brakes automatically

i the system detects an imminent head-to-tail collision and the driver ails to react. Although it doesnt always prevent accidents, it can greatly

mitigate their consequences.

Sae lane changes: Blind Spot Assist or passenger cars uses short-range radar sensors to sur vey the areas directly alongside and behind the car. It

emits warning signals to make the driver aware o vehicles detected in the blind spot.

Active saety: radar-based systems.


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31Our innovations Active saety: camera-based systems

A glance over the shoulder. Camera-based

assistance systems help drivers to take on board

the vast amount o inormation recorded whilst

driving, enabling them to react in plenty o time.

Four eyes see more than two. Awareness enhancers are

thereore an important component o the saety package or

Daimler vehicles. Driving in darkness or with restric ted

visibility due to poor weather can cause uncertainty and, in

many cases, accidents. The new headlamp and Night View

Assist systems or the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and S-Class

adjust the range o the headlamps automatically based on

the distance to oncoming vehicles or moving vehicles in ront

o the car with their lights on. Speed Limit Assist systems

or passenger cars can remember signposted speed limits,

while Lane Keeping Assist systems or trucks, buses and

passenger cars can provide warnings i the vehicle looks like

leaving its detected lane. Plus, reversing cameras or trucks,

buses and passenger cars make or excellent rear visibility

because what happens behind the vehicle is also crucial.

In contrast to previous light systems, which merely switch between

low beam and high beam, the new Adaptive Highbeam Assist

system controls the light distribution in line with the current trac

situation. A camera mounted on the inside o the windscreen

monitors the trac situation and, thanks to an intelligent

image-processing algorithm, is able to detect vehicles with their

lights on as well as calculate the distance to th ese vehicles. Based

on this inormation, the lights are dimmed, while the range o the

controllable bi-xenon headlamps on low beam is set to up to 300

metres and is adapted continuously in line with the current trac

situation. I the system detects that the road ahead is clear, high

beam is activated automatically. Adaptive Highbeam Assist can be

used at speeds above 55 km/h and, once activated, operates ully

automatically.

How night becomes day. Night View Assist is a urther saety

innovation that will make driving at night saer or all road users.

Inrared technology greatly enhances the drivers range o vision

in the dark. Two separate headlamps illuminate the road with

invisible, non-refective inrared light. A windscreen-mounted

camera designed to pick up precisely this type o light records what

happens in ront o the car and sends the image to a display on

the dashboard. A greyscale image highlights pedestrians, cyclist s

and obstacles clearly at an early stage. In the urther modied

version, Night View Assist Plus, persons detected are urther

highlighted on the display by means o a specially developed

pedestrian detection unction.

Always on the right track. Around one in six serious road accidents

in Germany is caused by a vehicle leaving its lane. This is why

Lane Keeping Assist was developed. The system detects the lane

markings in ront o the vehicle by evaluating the dierence in

contrast between the road surace and the lane markings. The line

taken by the car and the drivers activities are monitored at the

same time. Only very specic movements indicate that the vehicle

has let the detected lane unintentionally and only then does Lane

Keeping Assist intervene: by making the steering wheel vibrate to

make the driver aware o the situation. In trucks, the system works

using audible warning signals which make the driver aware that

the vehicles course needs to be cor rected. As ar as commercial

vehicles are concerned, around hal o all accidents caused by a

vehicle changing lanes unintentionally can be prevented by using

a Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system.

Gentle warning. The Lane Assistant or buses shows just how

intelligent and sophisticated Daimlers saety systems are. Here,

too, a camera in the windscreen monitors the vehicle to make

sure it maintains the correct course in its lane. The main point o

concern or the bus developers was coming up with a suitable

orm o warning or the driver. An audible warning o the kind used

in trucks was out o the question as this would inevitably unsettle

the passengers. The solution: two vibration motors integrated

in the drivers seat cushion, wh ich make the driver aware o the

situation when the vehicle crosses the detected lane markings

unintentionally, also indicating on which side o the lane this has

occurred. The system, which can be deactivated, is activated at

speeds about 70 km/h, in other words on longer-distance

routes. As soon as the driver indicates, the system is deactivated

automatically.

Foot o the gas? Speed Limit Assist can see what the driver

sometimes misses, namely speed-limit signs. The camera in the

windscreen monitors the surroundings, while the computer

lters out circular suraces and uses an algorithm to identiy

speed-limit signs. They are projected onto a display in the vehicle

in real time, making the driver aware o the detected speed limit.

Camera-based awareness enhancers make the drivers job easier and, t hereore, enhance saety. Whether it be Adaptive Highbeam Assist (let), L ane

Keeping Assist (top centre), Speed Limit Assist (top right), Night View Assist (bottom centre) or the Omnicam or buses (bottom right), the best possible

visibility and additional inormation is assured at any time o day and in any trac situation.

Active saety: camera-based systems.

The purpose o the awareness enhancers is to improve the naturally limited vision o the driver. Where two eyes cannot see

everything, cameras monitor all the important goings-on around the vehicle. And when visibility is not the best, assistance

systems can light up the dark.

Camera-based visibility enhancement

Country mode replaces low beam and illuminates the

road verge on the drivers side more broadly and brightly

than beore.

Motorway mode, activated at speeds above 90 km/h,

increases the drivers range o vision by up to 60 percent.

The active light unction pivots the headlamps sideways

by up to 15 degrees, taking into account the steering

angle and the vehicle speed, thus improving illumination

o the road.

The cornering light unction is activated when the driver

indicates or steers at speeds below 40 km/h. The head-

lamps illuminate the area to the side o the vehicle.

The enhanced og lamps are activated at speeds below

70 km/h i the rear og lamp is swi tched on. Illumination

o the inner hal o the lane is enhanced, and the degree

o glare rom light refected back by the og is reduced.

Always the right light

Adaptive Highbeam Assist detects oncoming vehicles or

moving vehicles in ront with their lights on and then

adjusts the headlamps so that the beam o light ends in

ront o these other vehicles. High beam, with a range o up

to 300 metres, is activated and deactivated automatically.

Adaptive Highbeam Assist is based on the unctions o

the Intelligent Light System (ILS). In contrast to Adaptive

Highbeam Assist, ILS is not camera-based but acts

depending on the driving situation alone.


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33Our innovations An intelligent partner

An intelligent partner. Daimler assistance

systems give vehicles extra senses.

Rather than working independently o each

other, the systems are networked and

actively exchange data.

Daimler is implementing a globally unique synergy o

sophisticated saety technologies to give its cars extra senses

and added intelligence. All o which make Mercedes-Benz

models part o the thinking process cars that can see,

sense and act autonomously. Sensor usion is a urther

key concept that promises enhanced saety: the inormation

gathered by radar sensors, cameras and various vehicle

systems is brought together to oer the highest possible level

o protection.

Anticipatory occupant protection. Daimler is the worlds only

car manuacturer to oer a comprehensive anticipatory occupant

protection system that activates protective measures or the carsoccupants i an imminent accident risk is detected. This system

called PRE-SAFE gives the car r efexes. Based on inormation

received rom sensors, it can identiy situations that might turn into

accidents and instinctively activate preventive occupant protection

measures, allowing the seat belts and airbags to deploy with

maximum eect in the event o an impact. PRE- SAFE thereore

bridges the gap between active and passive saety. It is networked

to Brake Assist and the Electronic Stability Pr ogram (ESP), or

example, whose sensors can recognise dangerous driving

situations and then transmit this inormation to the electronic

control units. PRE-SAFE also uses these sensor data or

anticipatory occupant protection. In combination with the short-

range sensors used by DISTRONIC PLUS, PRE-SAFE as installed

in the current E-Class and S-Class, or example also uses the

inormation provided by the short-range radar sensors in the ront

bumper to tension the ront seat belts at the very last moment

around 200 milliseconds beore a seemingly unavoidable collision.

Continuous comparison. A urther assistance system capable

o acting instinctively and intelligently is ATTENTION ASSIST

which uses various parameters to build u p a prole o the person

at the wheel. I the system detects that the driver is starting to

become drowsy, based on deviations rom this prole, it prompts

the driver to take a break in due time. At the heart o this system

is a high-resolution sensor which allows extremely precise

monitoring o the steering wheel movements and the steering

speed. Based on these data, ATTENTION ASSIST calculates an

individual behavioural pattern during the rst ew minutes o

every trip. This pattern is then continuously compared with the

current steering behaviour and the cur rent driving situation,

courtesy o the vehicles electronic control unit. In addition to the

vehicle speed, lateral acceleration and longitudinal acceleration,

the system also detects steering wheel movements, use o the

turn indicators and the pedals as well as certain control inputs

and external infuences such as side winds or road unevenness,

or example. Observation o steering behaviour has proven to be

extremely meaningul as a drowsy driver requently makes minor

steering errors that are oten corrected in a characteristic

manner. These data allow the system to detect typical indicators

o drowsiness and warn the driver by emitting an audible signal

and fashing up an unequivocal instruction on the display in the

instrument cluster: ATTENTION ASSIST. Break!


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35Our innovations Driver tness

Technology that keeps you t. For all their assistance

systems, cars cannot drive themselves. A top-t driver

is a key requirement when it comes to preventing

accidents.

cars and measuring equipment connected up to the drivers record

all variables that give an indication as to the drivers physical

condition. These results produce an objective picture o the

infuence o the vehicle technology on the drivers behaviour and,

thereore, their capabilities. By monitoring driver perormance

with the help o the Global Positioning System (GPS), the experts

can also determine the section o the route on which stress is at

its highest when evaluating all the data. The results o the tests lead

to represent crucial ndings in terms o how to urther develop

driver-tness saety and assistance systems.

But while heart rate provides an indication o the degree o driver

stress, it cannot indicate the type o stress. Stress can actually be

positive and, thereore, does not necessarily impair the drivers

ability to act. This is why the experts gather additional inormation

about emotional actors such as mood, tension and motivation in

ar-reaching psychological interviews both beore and ater the

test drive as well as conducting online surveys to gauge well-being

whilst driving. To this end, the test drivers answer questions about

their current mood, which are displayed at certain intervals during

the test drive. This procedure allows the experts to determine

whether the stressul situation that has led to an increased heart

rate is perceived positively (eustress) or negatively (distress).

Driving can be tiring but it doesnt have to be. Daimler coined

the phrase driver-tness saety as part o the companys

comprehensive saety philosophy and as a key actor in pre -

venting accidents more than 15 years ago. Driver- tness

saety means maintaining and, in some cases, improving the

drivers physical and mental tness and capabilities by design-

ing and constructing vehicles with the necessary equipment.

Because drivers need to be t to be able to react quickly and

correctly in critical situations on the road. Driver-tness saety

begins with the interior dimensions and also includes all aspects

o suspension, climate and seating comort as well as low noise

levels and the development o intelligent assistance systems that

deal with certain tasks whilst driving. The decisive actor is perect

interaction o all the measures, which have one common aim: to

make lie easier or the driver by keeping the driver t. The outstand-

ing results achieved during a seven-week road test conducted by

the Daimler research department in Berlin, or example, show that

an intelligent overall vehicle design is the best way to ensure a

high level o driver-tness saety. A Mercedes-Benz S-Class was

compared with two competitor models. The average heart r ate o

the test drivers a typical indicator o stress was up to six

percent lower among the Mercedes-Benz S-Class drivers than or

their counterparts in the competitor models.

Everything at a glance. Key components o any intelligent vehicle

design include the clear arrangement o the controls and

easy-to-navigate menus, since they ensure that the driver has

ewer distractions to worry about, meaning a higher level o saety

whilst driving. The control and display systems in Daimler vehicles

have proven their worth in tests conducted on the motorway and

in the road simulator. By way o example, the duration o typical

control interventions in the Mercedes-Benz C-Class was reduced

considerably it was around 40 percent lower th an the average

control time in comparable vehicles. The average time spent looking

at the controls was likewise reduced substantially.

Detecting stress actors in order to avoid them. Daimler

developers have developed various methods that enable objective

assessment o the level o driver-tness saety provided by a

vehicle. The main ones involve physiological measurements o

typical stress indicators above all the drivers heart rate, which

is a reliable way o continuously measuring stress. Reasons or an

increased heart rate can include stress due to an increased volume

o trac as well as bad weather conditions and poor visibility.

Interior noise, insucient ventilation and poor suspension

comort also have a negative eect. In order to evaluate and

continuously improve these aspects, on-board computers in test

Mind Lab a look inside. Another supplementary means o

producing a comprehensive driver prole is the recording o

brainwaves by means o EEG (electroencephalography) in various

simulated driving situations. Measurements based on neurophysio-

logical methodology conducted on board o a mobile research

laboratory called the Mind Lab allow an insight into cognitive,

unconscious driver behaviour that cannot be infuenced by the

driver. This is the only way to ensure dedicated and objective

measurement o the drivers neuronal activities in certain

situations and conditions. The resulting evaluations lead to ndings

that provide crucial indications o the extent to which assistance

systems can be honed in order to provide the driver with the best

possible level o assistance.

Driving saety training: practice makes perect

But no matter how helpul driver-tness saety, operating saety and assistance systems are, when it comes to preventing accidents,

it is still a person who sits behind the wheel. Assistance systems are supposed to assist drivers rather than act as their guardians.

Proessional driving saety t raining is thereore a urther key actor in the quest to prevent accidents or passenger car and

commercial vehicle drivers. This is why Daimler attaches such a high priority to basic and advanced driver trai ning. With some 65,000

participants per year, Mercedes-Benz Driver Training has long been the largest training acility o its kind or truck drivers. And over

10,000 bus and coach drivers have already taken part in saety training courses. Passenger car drivers, meanwhile, can attend a

number o courses, ranging rom winter training and special training or women to o-road training, ECO training and proessional

driver training. Customers who opt to buy a Sprinter, Vito or Viano model receive a voucher or special driving saety training tailored

or their vehicle. As well as preparing drivers or dangerous situations and showing how critical driving situations can be mastered,

driver training also teaches drivers how to dete ct risks in plenty o t ime and even prevent them entirely.

Maintaining driver tness is a key part o the Daimler saety concept. Should concentration levels drop, however, the 70 or more in-vehicle sensors

or the ATTENTION ASSIST drowsiness detection system record the drivers reactions and signal a Break i one is necessary. In this way, the

dangerous microsleep phase can be avoided.

The decisive actor is perec t interaction o all the measures, which have one common aim: to make lie easier or the driver

by keeping the driver t.

Driver tness.


19/25

Visions or tomorrow. Daimler reuses to rest on

its laurels: urther optimised systems and all-new

technologies will shape the uture.

Our uture Visions or tomorrow 37

Mobility is indispensible in modern society. In order to ensure that society remains mobile in the uture, despite the increasing volume

o trac on the road, Daimler researchers are working on developments or the intelligent transport o tomorrow.

The aim is to network the inormation provided by reliable assistance systems in individual vehicles with inormation received rom the

vehicles environment. Here state-o-the-art mobility technologies and the Daimler-developed environment monitoring system ensure

a smooth exchange o the very latest inormation.

Many o the undamentals are already in place, including camera-based assistance systems as well as the already unctioning

vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-inrastructure communication systems. Intensive work is being carried out to develop even more

sophisticated systems: the image understanding technology developed by Daimler will also be able to recognise and interpret stop

signs and trac light changes, while inrastr ucture-to-vehicle communication will optimise the fow o tra c.

A comprehensive approach can only work i there is an exchange and interaction between all road users. And Daimler is playing an

important role in making this possible.


20/25

Active saety

ABS, ESP

Brake Assist PLUS

Night View Assist

Telligent systems

Past Present Near uture Future

PRE-SAFE

Passive saety

Airbag

Seat belt

Saety cell

Integral saety Accident-ree driving

Accident avoidance

Reduction in impact severity

Mitigating the consequences o

accidents

NECK-PRO head restraints

39Our uture Future projection

Looking ahead. Our researchers and developers are

already thinking about the uture o sae motoring.

Sae vehicles still do not ensure sae transport. For Daimler,

the challenge or the uture is to work together with other

vehicle manuacturers as well as telecommunications and

trac management specialists. A comprehensive approach is

needed to shape the mobility o the uture. The vision or uture

transport is to link inormation rom the vehicle environment

with innovative driver assistance unctions using sophisticated

communication systems. One o the main requirements or

ensuring trac saety and mobility in the uture is providing shared,

real-time and comprehensive inormation about the fow o trac

and hazardous situations, or all road users. Working together with

specialists rom the automotive, telecommunications and trac

management sectors under the umbrella o the AKTIV research

initiative, Daimler uses the synergies o the dierent disciplines

to enhance the saety and the eciency o road trac. The corner-

stones o the initiative are active saety, trac management and

vehicle-to-vehicle as well as vehicle-to-inrastructure c ommunica-

tions. Future transport will be shaped by the exchange o

inormation, not only rom public to private partners, but also

in the other direction. This means that, rather than just being

communicated on gantries and variable message signs, all trac-

related inormation will also be sent directly to the vehicle.

Communication in all directions. Important sources o inormation

include virtual trac control sys tems. Working independently o

inrastructure equipment hence the virtual tag they are

positioned at important points on the road, such as at road works,

and send inormation directly to driver assistance systems. A central

inormation platorm is the hub or strategy and trac situation-

based inormation. Here data and inormation rom various sources

are gathered, conditioned and provided or the applications. In the

trac system o the uture, trac lights will be integrated into the

new inormation concepts as cooperative lighting signal systems.

This means that trac lights will be controlled in line with the

current situations, thus reducing both noise and harmul emissions.

Cooperative vehicle inrastructure technologies designed to ensure

dynamic navigation and inorm the driver are being developed or

Adaptive Navigation. Their input is via radio, DAB (Digital Audio

Broadcasting) and in a new approach the mobile phone network.

Mobile danger warning systems. The system o inormation also

works the other way round: in vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-

inrastructure communications (car-2-x communications), each

individual vehicle plays the role o a danger warning system.

Successul tests conducted by Daimler using ad- hoc networks as

part o the NOW Network on Wheels project have shown just

how much potential the system oers. Thanks to warning messages,

vehicles behind were able to prepare or dangerous situations such

as black ice, og or obstacles on the road in good time, while the

drivers were able to adapt their driving accordingly. Daimler is also

adopting this approach in the Sae, intelligent mobility testing

ground Germany (SIM-TD) research project. SIM-TD is a project

aimed at developing a technology or communication between

vehicles by radio and with an intelligent trac inrastructure.

Inormation determines actions. Alongside the inormation

gathered rom the monitoring o the surroundings by the vehicle

assistance systems, all the inormation received by the vehicle

orms the basis or a comprehensive evaluation o the situation.

And this is needed at junctions in particular. Junctions oten

involve areas that cannot be seen and are thereore accident

black spots. Around a third o all serious road accidents in

Germany occur at junctions. When it comes to comprehensive

risk estimation, thereore, the vehicle can never receive too much

inormation. Because the situation at junctions is extremely

complex, a high degree o awareness and clarity is required. This

means that the requirements or monitoring the surroundings and

evaluating the situation are correspondingly high. The aim o the

AKTIV initiative is to develop an assistance system or detecting

movements o inner city trac, which helps the driver when

crossing or turning at a junction.

System decision as emergency brake. On-board sensors,

cooperative communication, the integration o positioning maps

and digital maps as well as a comprehensive situation analysis

orm the basis o the assistance system. Here an anticipatory

sensory system is designed to help detect vehicles, pedestrians

and cyclists ahead o an imminent accident and initiate eective

protective measures.

Communication in all directions: vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-inrastructure communications will ensure that everyone is made aware o possible

danger situations at all times via radio, DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) and the mobile phone network.

Future projection.

Vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-inrastructure communications help to provide assistance systems with the inormation that

they need to evaluate the situation. The more accurate the internal and external inormation that the system can evaluate, the

greater the options or initiating suitable measures in plenty o time beore an accident actually occurs. One example o this

is the level o occupant protection provided by non-reversible restraint systems deployed beore an unavoidable accident.


21/25

41Our uture Future projection

limits on the display in the cockpit. In uture, such a system will

be able to inorm drivers o stop signs, priority signs and expected

trac light changes, or example, in addition to the curr ent speed

limits. These systems operate on a similar principle: the camera

identies objects, then the image-processing programme analyses

their signicance in real time and initiates the necessary measures

instantaneously. In the case o trac light detection, or example,

pixels in the trac light colours red, yellow and green, which are

practically circular, are perceived. The size o the recorded trac

light circles provides inormation about their distance rom the

vehicle.

The uture begins now. Intelligent video-based assistance systems

that employ articial intelligence are already used in some sectors.

They make the driver aware o detected imminent dangers and

initiate measures or preventing accidents or mitigating their

consequences. The Daimler-developed image recognition system

or monitoring the surroundings is one such system. It is based on

a stereo camera on the inside o the windscreen, which provides

high-perormance computers with inormation about the lie o the

road as well as about vehicles driving or crossing in ront and vehicles

parking at the side o the road. Plus, it can detect pedestrians,

cyclists and vehicles approaching rom the side. In this case, as well

as seeing the sources o danger, the assistance system can

predict how the object will behave in the coming seconds, based

on its movement, its distance and its speed. Tests have shown

that the early warning system reliably detects pedestrians crossing

the road rom a distance o 30 metres, or example. The risk o

a collision with a cyclist approaching quickly rom the side is

detected a ull two to three seconds beore an imminent collision.

This innovative technology is based on the idea o identiying

pixels o interest and then monitoring them or a certain period.

A cyclist riding up ahead is located, or example, and perceived by

the system as a series o individual pixels, each individual one o

which is moving. The stereo camera tracks the movement o the

pixels and, based on the inormation received, the computer predicts

the likely direction o the objects movement.

See, understand, act. Image understanding is the term experts use

to describe this process. It indicates that, as well as involving the

recording o images, the ocus is on understanding, interpreting

and assessing that which is perceived. In the Mercedes-Benz E-Class

and the S- Class (model year 2010), the intelligent video-based

Speed Limit Assist system can already detect speed limit signs

within milliseconds whether these signs be at the side o the road

or on gantries above the road and indicate the detected speed

Many small successes combine to produce one resounding

success. However, the rst priority or the researchers when

developing each new saety system is reliability. Systems

build on one another and

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